Deja Blue

For those of you who’ve been following the team long enough to remember the pre-lockout days, you’ll be no doubt familiar with the position the Rangers find themselves today. Even if you’re a relative newbie, you’ll likely know just by hanging around with the rest of Ranger fandom, that this is a position that the […]

Grass Isn’t Always Greener

As of March 3rd, 2009, the Rangers sat in eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, six points out of home ice advantage for at least one round, and just one point ahead of the ninth placed Hurricanes. With just eighteen games remaining, the Rangers are not focused on building momentum for the playoffs, but are […]

Rangers More Playoff-Ready This Time

by Mark Owens Since last season, the Rangers have improved more than 25% of their roster: 1. Chris Drury and his incomparable playoff resume is clearly a better option than Matt Cullen, despite Cullen’s excellent performance in the 2006 playoffs with the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Ranger fans await Drury’s first pressure goal. 2. Marc Staal is a huge […]

Nigel Dawes Fueling Recent Rangers Success

by Mark Owens During their current 8-0-3 run, Dawes has racked up four goals, six assists, and two shootout goals. That span also includes one game-winning goal and an assist on another game winner. On the season, Dawes now has 11 goals, 13 assists, three game winning goals, two shootout goals (in three chances), and […]

Trades Give Rangers Depth and Flexibility

by Mark Owens Acquiring Christian Backman for a fourth-round pick helps offset the loss of Paul Mara and the addition of Fredrik Sjostrom adds skill to the fourth line. Adding Backman to the mix creates competition among Backman, Marek Malik (who is playing very well right now), Mara, and Jason Strudwick for the last two slots among the top six defensemen. Apparently, Backman is even […]

Rangers Make Deals At Deadline

The Rangers moved two players and added four in what turned out to be a bigger day for the Rangers than perhaps some expected. Gone are the inconsistent Marcel Hossa and oft-rumored Al Montoya, and in their place a group of prospects and potential AHLers. Marcel Hossa‘s career with the Rangers started off well, but his inability to […]

Renney’s Use of 4th Line Leaves Team on Thin Ice

by Mark Owens Simply put, Ryan Hollweg and Colton Orr should only be on the ice when the opponent is pushing the Rangers around, or perhaps when playing two games in two days. The illusion that they along with Blair Betts somehow form a checking line capable of dictating tempo and shutting down the opponents’ best players is just that ‘ […]

The Price is Right?

by Matt Waxman At this point it should be apparent what the Rangers are, and that is a mediocre team. They are not an offensive team, nor are they a defensive team of late. This is a team in limbo. There are several ways this can play out, but first a review. At the start […]

Can Renney and Jagr Lead this Team?

by Mark Owens Your team is struggling for the past five weeks, you have just gained 1 of 6 available points on a road trip, and you return to MSG for a three-game homestand against the NHL’s second worst team who is riding a seven game losing streak. Sounds like your team should be desperate […]

Give Gomez More Ice Time

by Mark Owens Gomez is riding high with a 10-game point streak, and since the end of October has amassed 30 points in 26 games. However, his 19:31 of ice time per game ranks him just 149th in the league. There are 45 NHL forwards (including 25 centers) with more ice time per game than […]